We are proud to be part of the Rhode Island community! Follow our blog for the latest news and occasional commentary about what’s happening at the Foundation and around our great state.

Rhode Island needs strong and effective nonprofit organizations. For decades, the Foundation has been proud to help our nonprofit partners build organizational capacity and acumen.

Like you, we constantly strive for better results, to serve our constituencies in the best and most useful ways. How can we help the state’s nonprofit community thrive? We recognize that there are many nonprofits that are doing valuable work outside of our priority areas, and that they often need to focus on organizational growth to deliver on their missions.

As a result, we’re making a few shifts in the way we fund “organizational development” or activities to strengthen organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

We will continue to fund a variety of activities that strengthen and improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness, including strategic planning, business planning, fund development planning, marketing planning, feasibility studies, reorganization and streamlining, mergers, financial management planning or systems, and transition or succession planning.

Organizations that are targeting one of our identified sector focus areas can apply for organizational development support (of any amount) through our Strategy Grant program. As a reminder, Strategy Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and you must have an advance conversation with the sector grant program officer.

Organizations that fall outside of our sector focus areas can apply for up to $10,000 through the Organizational Development grant program. Applications will be reviewed quarterly, with 2015 deadlines of July 15 and October 15. The program is overseen by the Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence, our in-house capacity building program. These proposals will be evaluated on the clear articulation of need, organizational readiness, and your measurable outcomes of success.

More information is available at the links above. While we know that changes always result in a few bumps in the road, we aim for excellent customer service. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to be in touch with any member of our team.

Featured Post

Meeting need in the town squarePosted last yearWe are pleased to share that we will be investing more than $350,000 in three proven programs that are already making a difference in the lives of those in need downtown.

The MacColl Johnson Fellowships: Celebrating Ten YearsPosted 3 years agoWith the rapidly approaching announcement of the winners of this year’s MacColl Johnson Fellowships – now in its 10th year - we talk with six of the 27 composers, writers and visual artists who have been awarded the fellowships over the past decade. Hear what they have to say about its impact on their work and careers.